"Feeling so blessed as Baba's guest" - A Music Video
Margaret Magnus
By Margaret Magnus
“Feeling so blessed as Baba’s guest” are lyrics from “Oh Meher Mount,” an ode to Meher Mount written and performed by Mark Trichka and Lisa Brande. The drone photography by Ben Hoffman captures the beauty and openness of Meher Mount to complement the music and create this special video.
“It’s beyond beautiful. It’s amazing. Absolutely fantastic!” said one viewer.
The Inspiration
The feeling of being at Meher Mount can last years… decades even.
Mark Trichka and Lisa Brande visited Meher Mount decades ago. Yet, the memory of that visit was imprinted on them.
“My wife Lisa Brande and I visited Meher Mount in the 1990s,” Mark remembered. “We were struck by the Meher Baba atmosphere, rugged beauty, and serenity of Meher Mount.
“We continue to feel connected to Meher Mount even though we live in Vermont and Florida and haven’t visited in a quite a while.
“I liked the idea of writing a short song that sang about the beauty of Meher Mount and Meher Baba’s indelible presence,” Mark explained.
He did some research about Meher Baba’s 1956 visit. Mark also read that Ojai meant either ‘moon’ or ‘nest’ in the Chumash language.
He didn’t use moon in the song, “but ‘nest’ fit nicely,” he explained. “Also, the word Ojai also sounds like ‘oh high’ which also fits nicely. Meher Baba employed clever word play in some of His poems.”
By Meher Baba’s coincidence, Ben Hoffman had recently finished filming some drone footage of Meher Mount to use in the upcoming film about Baba’s Tree. So, there were some spectacular images available in the vault.
Together, the team created a lovely tribute to Meher Baba and His time at Meher Mount.
“We hope that the song brings joy and remembrance of Beloved Baba,” Mark said.
Lyrics
Oh Meher Mount
Ocean of peace
Oasis
Under Baba’s tree
Oh Meher Mount
Open and free
Ojai above
Baba’s shining sea
Haven of rest
Deep in the west
Life at its best
Decompressed
High on a crest
Safe in His nest
Feeling so blessed
As Baba’s guest
Oh Meher Mount
Ocean of peace
Oasis
Under Baba’s tree
©Seed of Love Publishing
About the Contributors
MARK TRICHKA & LISA BRANDE in Mandali Hall, Meherazad, India by Baba’s Chair. (Photo: Davana Brown)
Mark Trichka and Lisa Brande: Husband and wife musicians Mark Trichka and Lisa Brande, of Vermont and Florida, have been full time professional performers for more than 35 years. They have been followers of Meher Baba for longer than that.
Mark first journeyed to India in 1982 playing his mandolin for Meher Baba’s close disciples. Meher Baba’s sister Mani S. Irani dubbed Mark ‘Mandolin Walla.’ His CD Mandolin Walla was released in 2008, and included his heartfelt vocal compositions composed to his Beloved as well as mandolin instrumentals. Mark is also an accomplished guitarist and singer.
Lisa Brande journeyed to India in 1989 soon after marrying Mark. She has performed with him ever since, on fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and vocals. They have released several Meher Baba CDs and have played all over the world. Mark and Lisa can also be heard on many Meher Baba musicians’ recordings.
In addition to their 2016 release of Anything is Possible by Your Grace, their newest 2020 Meher Baba CD is True Love. It includes other songs that celebrate Meher Baba’s places: "Meher Center” (Meher Spiritual Center in Myrtle Beach, SC); “Stone by Stone” (Meher House in Sydney, Australia); and “Kiel Mountain” (Avatar’s Abode in Woombye, Australia). True Love can be heard on most streaming platforms listed under their names.
BEN HOFFMAN filming at Meher Mount for the Baba’s Tree film. (Photo: Margaret Magnus)
Ben Hoffman: Ben Hoffman of Square Productions is a passionate creator with a lifelong commitment to visual storytelling. He is also a commercial and fine art photographer and cinematographer. His photos have been featured countless times in magazines, books, and commercial applications.
As a production company owner and filmmaker Ben works as a cinematographer, director, producer, and editor and leads post-production across various projects including films, commercials, music, and corporate videos. As Square Productions' CEO, he co-leads a versatile team that specializes in content creation, visual brand alignment, and social media marketing.
Margaret Magnus: Ben and Meher Mount’s Communications Director Margaret Magnus have produced short videos about Meher Mount, including: Welcome to Meher Mount, Baba’s Walkway, Avatar’s Point, Baba’s Tree, and Baba’s Path.
Other productions include: The Darshan Dhuni, Three Prayers Given by Meher Baba and The Divine Gift of Water. They are currently working on a film about Baba’s Tree.